Vending machine

ABSTRACT

A vending machine adapted to temporarily retain a coin of large denomination which is not usable as a change coin among the deposited coins and store coins of small denominations in coin stacking tubes. When the deposited money is to be returned, coins of the same denominations as the deposited small denomination coins are paid out from the coin stacking tubes while the retained large denomination coin itself is also returned. In event the vending machine is short of change coins, the vending machine vends the required article only when a coin requiring no change is deposited and automatically returns the deposited coin when a coin requiring change is deposited.

United States Patent Hayashi et a1.

VENDING MACHINE Inventors: Yukichi Hayashi; Yutaka Yokoda,

both of Tokyo; Masayuki Tamura, Sakado; Shinichi Kobayashi, Kamihukuoka; Kazuyuki Akai, Tokyo; Seiu Sakai, Yamato, all of Japan Assignee:

Nippon Coinco Co., Ltd., Tokyo,

Japan Filed:

Jan. 14, 1974 Appl. No.: 432,977

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,002,602 10/1961 Giepen 194/DIG. 15 C 3,242,929 3/1966 Adams 194/1 N 3,508,636 4/1970 Shirley 194/10 3,687,255 8/1972 Johnson... 194/1 N 3,754,629 8/1973 Douglass.. 194/1 N 3,783,987 l/1974 I-lanert 194/10 Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerThomas E. Kocovsky [57] ABSTRACT Foreign Application priority Data A vending machine adapted to temporarily retain a Jan 17 1973 la an 484549 com of large denomination which 18 not usable as a 1973 Japan "4847721 change coin among the deposited coins and store Jul 973 Japan 48433328 coins of small denominations in coin stacking tubes. J 1973 48 83329 When the deposited money is to be returned, coins of 3 1973 Japan 4884684 the same denominations as the deposited small de- 973 Japan 4894078 nomination coins are paid out from the coin stacking 1973 48 94O79 tubes while the retained large denomination coin itself A 1973 Japan 4888931 is also returned. In event the vending machine is short p of change coins, the vending machine vends the re- U 5 Cl 194 194lDIG l5 quired article only when a coin requiring no change is 5 deposited and automatically returns the deposited Fieid T 10 l M coin when a coin requiring change is deposited.

l94/DIG. 15 C 7 Claims, 21 Drawing Figures AS RG J L. AN

m S n. I PC OR cm ce VE a3 :a C]

FS c8 CA FD r l -RR M i 4 J FM I & 2 1 5 7 w o PATENTEU M29 1975 SHEET 024 20E OZ 20mm PE 2.53015 m0 OP PATENTED JUL29 1975 SHEET PATENTEUJULZSISYS SPEET 5m mOIN oL m PATENTEB JUL 2 9 I975 SHEET EW Q Fa I I I PATENTED JUL 2 9 I975 SHEET Fl cqlo a I37 139 as PATENTEDJULZQISYS 3,896,915

SHEET 11 PATENTEDJULZSIBYS 3 896,915

SHEET 13 PATENTED JUL 2 9 1975 F EG. I4

VENDING MACHINE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a vending machine and, more particularly, to a vending machine capable of accurately returning a coin of the same denomination as that inserted in the vending machine in case the coin has once been inserted in the machine but should be returned because purchase of the goods is not made for one reason or another, and also capable of paying out change either in large denomination coins or in small denomination coins according to necessity and returning the inserted coin when the machine is short of a required change.

In vending machines of known types, returning of money equivalent in sum to an inserted coin for cases where purchase of the goods has not been made is achieved by using coins stored in a change coin stacking tube. If an amount of money equivalent to an inserted large denomination coin such as 100 yen is to be returned but the coin of the same denomination is not stored as change in the change coin stacking tube, small denomination coins such as 10 yen or 50 yen must be used. This causes shortage of change and if the shortage of change is to be avoided, the vending machine requires a large change coin stacking tube.

The prior art vending machine is also disadvantageous in that a return instruction tends to be given before the amount of the inserted coin is electrically calculated in case a return button is depressed immediately after the coin is inserted in the machine with a result that shortage or even absence of refund occurs.

In order to avoid shortage of change, another conventional type of vending machine employs a construction such that an inserted coin is temporarily retained and thereafter is transferred to a cash box when purchase is made or returned when it is to be refunded. This type of vending machine, however, requires a large and complicated mechanism for retaining all of the inserted coins. Besides, the retained coins cannot be used as change in this type of vending machine.

There is still another type of prior art vending machine which temporarily retains all inserted coins by the kind of coin and thereafter returns them when they are to be refunded and transfer them to change stacking tube when purchase is made. This type of vending machine also requires a complicated coin retaining mechanism and, moreover, has a defect that coins become jammed in a chute of the machine with a resulting faulty operation of the machine since a relatively large number of coins are transferred simultaneously from the coin retaining unit to the change stacking tubes.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a novel and useful vending machine which has eliminated the above described disadvantages of the prior art vending machines.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vending machine capable of counting and storing the amount and kind (denomination) of inserted coins and temporarily retaining a large denomination coin or coins among the inserted coins while storing small denomination coins in a change coin stacking tube provided for each denomination of coin so as to enable the machine to return the retained large denomination coin itself as well as return the same denomination of coins as the inserted small denomination coins from the change coin stacking tube. Each time the coin is returned, the amount of the coin is subtracted from the whole amount of the inserted coins and the coin return operation is finished when the balance becomes Zero.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vending machine incorporating a control system which produces a vend signal regardless of the amount of stored change when an inserted coin requires no change and, when the inserted coin requires change, returns a coin of the same denomination as the inserted coin only in case the machine is short of change.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vending machine incorporating a control system which actuates a coin return mechanism when the amount of inserted coin or coins coincide with a set vend price or when a return button is depressed so as to return coins inserted in the machine thereafter. According to the inventive vending machine, a subtraction, change payment or return order is given with a delay of a predetermined period of time after a vend order signal or a return signal is received so as to ensure accurate detection, vend and return operations of the machine and thereby to eliminate an erroneous operation of the machine.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vending machine capable of vending a plurality of pieces of one and the same commodity with a single coin depositing action.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vending machine capable of selectively vending a plurality of different kinds of commodities.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vending machine in which adverse effects of noise is effectively prevented and an erroneous operation of the machine at the time of turning-on of power is completely eliminated.

It is another object of the invention to provide a vending machine which has eliminated likelihood of miscounting which occurs at the time when different denominations of coins are simultaneously detected by detection switches.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a vending machine incorporating an escrow device which temporarily retains a large denomination coin sorted out by a coin acceptor and not used as change among inserted coins, such retention of the coin being effected by return and receiving levers capable of projecting into entrances to a coin path leading to a return outlet and a path leading to a cash box, and thereafter leads the retained coin to the return path by withdrawing the return lever when the coin is to be returned and to the cash box by withdrawing the receiving lever when purchase is made.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the description made hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG.'1 is a block diagram schematically showing one preferred embodiment of the vending machine according to the invention; I

FIG. 2 is a detailed circuit diagram of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a detailed circuit diagram of a pulse control section PC shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a time chart illustrative of signals appearing at various parts in the circuit shown in FIG. 2; 

1. A vending machine comprising means for producing pulses corresponding in number to the value of a deposited coin and a coin paid out, addition and subtraction counter means for making addition by said pulses produced upon insertion of the coin and making subtraction by said pulses produced upon paying out of the coin, a temporary retention mechanism for temporarily retaining a coin of large denomination among coins to be inserted, means for storing the inserted coins except the retained coin to corresponding change coin stacking tubes, coin memories respectively storing the numbers of coins of particular denominations among the inserted coins, electromagnetic control means for directing the temporarily retained coin to a cash box upon receipt of a vend instruction signal and directing the coin to a return outlet upon receipt of a return signal, means for producing a signal corresponding to a set vend price, means for obtaining a count corresponding to the value of the required change by making subtraction upon application of the signal correspondinG to the set vend price to said addition and subtraction counter means, detection means for detecting whether the change can be paid out in coins of a plurality of denominations, coin return means for reading the contents of said coin memories and returning coins of the same denominations as the inserted coins from the temporary retention mechanism and the change coin stacking tubes when the inserted coins should be returned, and change pay out means for reading the contents of said coin, memories and delivering a least possible number of coins as change upon said detection when change should be paid out.
 2. A vending machine as defined in claim 1 further comprising detection means for detecting shortage of change and producing a detection signal and means for producing a return instruction signal upon receipt of said detection signal in case the value of the deposited coins exceeds the set vend price, said coin return means and said electromagnetic control means being automatically actuated by said return instruction signal.
 3. A vending machine as defined in claim 1 further comprising a timer adapted to delay said vend instruction signal and said return signal by a predetermined period of time and thereafter actuate said electromagnetic control means, said change payout means and said coin return means.
 4. A vending machine as defined in claim 1 further comprising reset control means for producing a reset signal during a transient time from turning-on of power till the start of stable oscillation of clock pulses regardless of insertion of coins, logic circuit means producing and cancelling the reset signal upon receipt of a signal from a coin detection switch and a signal from said addition and subtraction counter means and means for controlling resetting or setting of said addition and subtraction counter means upon production or cancellation of the reset signal, said logic circuit means producing the reset signal in a stand-by state and producing no reset signal from the insertion of the coin until a series of addition and subtraction counting has been completed and the count of said addition and subtraction counter means has become zero, and said addition and subtraction counter means being reset and prevented from performing counting during the transient time and the stand-by time for ensuring prevention of miscounting of said counter means due to external causes such as noise.
 5. A vending machine as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for producing an insertion detection signal according to denomination of an inserted coin upon insertion of the coin, a first memory provided for each of coins of different denominations and storing said insertion detection signal temporarily and self-holding the storage of said signal, a second memory associated with said first memory which stores the contents of said first memory and supplies the contents after a predetermined period of time to said first memory to release the self-holding thereof, a common memory storing the contents of said second memory and outputs the contents after a predetermined period of time, a control circuit provided for each denomination and causing the contents of said first memory to be stored in said second memory only when said insertion detection signal is not stored in any of predetermined first memories for denominations of higher precedence and no storage is made in said common memory and an output control circuit for producing a coin detection signal for each denomination in response to the outputs of said second memory and said common memory, said coin detection signal being produced with a time interval in the order of precedence.
 6. A vending machine comprising means for producing pulses corresponding in number to the value of a deposited coin and a coin paid out addition and subtraction counter means for making addition by said pulses produced upon insertion of the coin and making subtraction by said pulses produced upon paying out of the coin, a plurality of vend price Signal generation means for respectively producing a signal corresponding to a set vend price of each of one or more articles to be vended, a plurality of coincidence signal generation means for respectively producing a coincidence signal when the vend price signal and the count of said addition and subtraction counter means coincide with each other, a plurality of vend signal generation means for respectively producing a vend signal upon receipt of said coincidence signal, a plurality of article piece number selection means respectively provided for either one of said vend price signal generation means and being operable for selecting the number of pieces of the required article, a plurality of article dispensing means respectively provided for either one of said article piece number selection means and dispensing the required number of the article by operation of said selection means and upon receipt of said vend signal, means for producing an article dispensing signal upon dispensing of the article, a temporary retention mechanism for temporarily retaining a coin of large denomination among coins to be inserted, means for storing the inserted coins except the retained coin to corresponding change coin stacking tubes, coin memories respectively storing the numbers of coins of particular denominations among the inserted coins, electromagnetic control means for directing the temporarily retained coin to a cash box upon receipt of the article dispensing signal and directing the coin to a return outlet upon receipt of a return signal, means for obtaining a count corresponding to a required change from said addition and substraction counter means by applying thereto the vend price signal corresponding to the number of the dispensed article in response to the article dispensing signal and thereby causing said counter means to make subtraction, detention means for detecting whether or not the change is being paid out by coins of a plurality of denominations, coin return means for reading the contents of said coin memories and returning coins of the same denominations as the inserted coins from the temporary retention mechanism and the change coin stacking tubes when the inserted coins should be returned, and change pay out means for reading the contents of said coin memories and delivering a least possible number of coins as change upon said detection when change should be paid out, whereby a plurality of pieces of the article are dispensed by a single deposition of coins.
 7. A vending machine comprising means for producing pulses corresponding in number to the value of a deposited coin or a coin paid out, addition and subtraction counter means for making addition by said pulses produced upon insertion of the coin and making subtraction by said pulses produced upon paying out of the coin, a plurality of vend price signal generation means for respectively producing a signal corresponding to a set vend price of each of two or more kinds of articles to be vended, a plurality of coincidence signal generation means for respectively producing a coincidence signal when the vend price signal and the count of said addition and subtraction counter means coincide with each other, a plurality of vend signal generation means for respectively producing a vend signal upon receipt of said coincidence signal, a plurality of article kind selection means respectively provided for either one of said vend price signal generation means and being operable for selecting two or more kinds of articles, a plurality of article dispensing means respectively provided for either one of said article kind selection means and dispensing the required kinds of articles by operation of said selection means and upon receipt of said vend signal, means for producing an article dispensing signal upon dispensing of the articles, a temporary retention mechanism for temporarily retaining a coin of large denomination among coins to be inserted, means for storing the inserted coins except the retained coin to corresponding changE coin stacking tubes, coin memories respectively storing the numbers of coins of particular denominations among the inserted coins, electromagnetic control means for directing the temporarily retained coin to a cash box upon receipt of the article dispensing signal and directing the coin to a return outlet upon receipt of a return signal, means for obtaining a count corresponding to a required change from said addition and subtraction counter means by applying thereto the vend price signal corresponding to the kinds of the dispensed articles in response to the article dispensing signal and thereby causing said counter means to make subtraction, detection means for detecting whether or not the change is being paid out by coins of a plurality of denominations, coin return means for reading the contents of said coin memories and returning coins of the same denominations as the inserted coins from the temporary retention mechanism and the change coin stacking tubes when the inserted coins should be returned, and change pay out means for reading the contents of said coin memories and delivering a least possible number of coins as change upon said detection when change should be paid out, whereby two or more kinds of articles are dispensed by a single deposition of coins. 